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Craig Foster supports Indigenous football in Queensland

High profile senior football representatives and Indigenous footballers will come together to ignite an Indigenous football flame in Brisbane at Logan City and Redcliffe Peninsula to launch the Australian Indigenous Football Championships and the Goori Football Program.

"This November, Logan City will play host to some of the best Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander football players across the nation," said Craig Morris, General Manager, Football Brisbane.

Morris said: "We are very honoured and proud to work side by side with the Indigenous communities and thank Tournament Directors Ramone Close and Lawrence Gilbert for the partnership."

Whilst the Australian Indigenous Football Championships will work towards identifying talent, plans are underway to support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to reach their full potential through the coordination of footballing programs across Queensland.

Newly appointed Indigenous Football Ambassador for Brisbane, Ramone Close said: "This is the start of big things for Indigenous football, with two Indigenous players securing semi-professional contracts with Brisbane Olympic FC and Peninsula Power FC."

Kyren Walters from Townsville and Tyrell Paulson from Newcastle are now based in Brisbane and schooled at St Lawrence College and Clontarf Beach Secondary School.

Today's promotion of Indigenous Football clinics at Clontarf Beach Secondary School is a great opportunity to promote the World Game as the most participated sport in the country.

Former Socceroo and SBS commentator Craig Foster said: "Evidence suggests that only 5% of the Australian population will make selection into A-League or W-League and only 1% of Australian’s population will make selection into the Socceroos or Matildas.

"The current opportunities for Indigenous players are even far more limited given the extremely small numbers of youth players in official pathways and the lack of Indigenous focused programs.

"These initiatives to be announced in Brisbane are important steps towards an integrated Indigenous football pathway for the future.

"The world game provides opportunities both for our Indigenous kids to excel on the world stage and for our country to promote our ancient culture globally and to demonstrate how proud we are of our heritage. Moreover, by ensuring that education goes hand in hand with playing the game we can contribute to brighter futures for every child, female and male," said Foster.

"Indigenous Football was something the late Johnny Warren was very passionate about having played with Harry Williams in the green and gold jersey," said Jamie Warren, President Johnny Warren Football Foundation.

Warren said: "I'm very happy to be part of seeing Indigenous football expand throughout Queensland and can't wait to attend the Tournament being held in Brisbane this November."